EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (KABC) — It’s been one celebration after the other for the El Segundo Little League team ever since the champs won the 2023 Little League World Series.
On Monday, the team showed up at DirecTV headquarters for what they thought would be a day of community service. But while they were writing letters and stuffing care bags, DirecTV had a surprise for them.
“DirecTV is here for you, and we’re going to be footing the bill for your parade float,” said Vince Torres, the chief marketing officer of DirecTV.
RELATED: El Segundo’s Little League World Series champion team is celebrated with hometown parade
El SegundoA hometown parade in El Segundo capped off two weeks of celebrations for the city’s Little League World Series champion team.
Players, coaches and parents were all excited to learn that DirecTV would sponsor a float for the team in the 135th Rose Parade, a parade that brings out hundreds of thousands along the parade route and has millions of viewers around the world.
“It’s an absolute dream to do,” said Danny Boehle, manager of the El Segundo Little League team.
“To be involved in that, and be the first team ever in Little League to do that – outstanding, just unbelievable,” Boehle added.
“It was really cool because I didn’t know we were going to go to the Rose Parade, and I didn’t even know they were paying for the float. I was like ‘That’s amazing,'” said Quinn Boehle, an outfielder on the El Segundo Little League team. “And all the decorations on it, it must have just cost a lot. I’m really thankful for that.”
Officials told Eyewitness News that on average a Rose Bowl float costs $350,000 to $400,000, but they say this Little League team is worth it, and they wanted the design of the float to embody everything this team has worked so hard for.
“It’s quite an honor to be able to ride in the Rose Parade,” said David Eads, the CEO of the Tournament of Roses. “So, I think for these young men, this will be a memory that will last a lifetime.”
“When you finish the job, when you finish the mission you get all the repercussions of parades and gifts and TV shows and books and documentaries,” Danny Boehle said. “So it’s just been an incredible run, and I hope it never stops for these kids.”
You can catch the world champs on their float on Jan. 1 during the Rose Parade.